


Everybody Has Secrets

by jotcnprnce



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Prison, Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bottom Charles, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Charles Xavier is a Sweetheart, Cherik - Freeform, Erik Lehnsherr Loves Charles Xavier, Fluff and Angst, Gay, Grumpy Erik Lehnsherr, Husbands, M/M, Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Erik Lehnsherr, Read the story please, Top Erik Lehnsherr, X-Men: Apocalypse (2016, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: First Class (2011), cellmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 07:26:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16321772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jotcnprnce/pseuds/jotcnprnce
Summary: Erik knew why he was in prison. He knew why the guy across from his cell was there, and the man glaring at him right now. Every single one of these people showed clear signs that they belonged there. Except his cellmate.How the hell did this man- the same one that advocated peace over everything, smiled every 5 seconds, and offered to lend other prisoners books- end up in the most secure prison in Europe?





	1. One

The trial had gone by quick. A haze in Erik’s mind. Visions of men in suits talking, arguing; people telling him what he should do, what he should say. He never said anything. He was guilty. He knew it, everyone else did, there was no point in lying about it. There was no life for him to live.   
By the end, Erik Lehnsherr was sentenced to 10 years in prison for second degree murder.   
Three days later, he was transported to a prison, chained to the floor of the van.  
The drive was short, and soon he was being shoved out, squinting against the brightness of the sun. There were prisoners in the courtyard, all staring  or yelling things Erik didn’t care enough to hear. He was taken inside, and then transferred to be escorted by another guard.   
Most of the cells they passed were empty, Erik noticed. As he stood in front of his new home for the next decade, it became clear. This was it, no turning back now. Cell number 43. The words felt funny in his mind. He was shoved inside, and nearly fell over before catching the railing of the bunk-bed. The sound of the cell door being shut behind him sent his brain rattling, and he took a deep breath. 

“Are you alright?” 

Turning his gaze up, he couldn’t help but be surprised. There was a man laying on the top bunk. But more than that, his eyes were impossibly blue. They contrasted brightly with his pale skin, and the wavy mahogany hair. Was he wearing lipstick? His lips were a luscious red, and Erik did not believe that could be natural. It took him a second to realize the man had asked him a question, and he snapped out of it. 

Clearing his throat, he straightened up. “Yes, I’m fine. That asshole just tried to intimidate me.” 

The man’s lips turned up in a smile, and he hopped down onto the floor in front of Erik. He was a couple inches shorter than Erik, which somehow made him all the more charming. “Yes, he tends to do that.” Those red lips murmured, voice thick with a British accent. Erik let himself stare for a second, maybe a little longer. He didn’t count. 

“Who are you?” Erik found himself blurting. The smile widened. The stranger stuck out his hand. 

“Charles. Charles Xavier. I believe I’m your cellmate.” He explained happily, ocean eyes sparkling. The taller man took his hand, shaking it before quickly letting it go. Not too fast that he didn’t notice how smooth the skin was. 

“Right. Well, nice to meet you, Charles.” Erik sighed. 

“And the same to you.” 

Lehnsherr looked around the small cell, pursing his lips. It wasn’t luxurious by any means. The ceiling was barely tall enough for him to stand in, and it was only wide enough for the things in the room and the two men standing rather close. There was a bunk-bed, a desk, and a toilet in the corner. That was it. 

“Do you have a name?” Charles asked. 

“I do.” Erik turned his gaze back to his cellmate.

“What is it?” 

“Erik,” Erik admitted, “Erik Lehnsherr.” 

“Erik, what a lovely name. I’m glad you’re here. It was getting quite lonely.” Charles grinned. Erik took another look around. 

“I bet.” He muttered. 

“Do you like to read?” 

“I do,” Lehnsherr confirmed, “Why are you asking?” 

Charles crouched down, reaching under the bunk-beds. He pulled out a wagon sort of thing filled to the brim with books. Erik wondered how he got all of those and got to keep them all. Charles stood back up. 

“Because now I have someone to share these with.” There was a smile on his face, as if he were genuinely happy that he had books he could loan his cellmate. Something about the smile didn’t settle right with Erik. That sort of happiness didn’t belong in a place like this. And, as he was beginning to realize, neither did Charles. 

“Why are you here, Charles?” The taller man asked. Charles’ smile vanished, and a dark shadow crossed his face. He cleared his throat. 

“That doesn’t matter.” He muttered. 

“It does.” 

“I don’t want to talk about it, Erik. It’s not something I’m proud of. Just know I’m where I belong.” There was finality in his voice. He clearly was not going to talk about it. Erik let it go. For now. For some reason, he didn’t like Charles frowning. A smile fit much better. 

“What books do you have?” He asked. A little light went back into those azure eyes, and he sat down on the bottom bunk, pulling the books to him. 

“Have a seat.” He offered, patting the empty space next to him. Erik sat, watching as Charles pulled out books and set them on his lap. 

They sat there for a long time, Charles showing Erik every book and asking if he’s read it. Then giving an explanation if he hadn’t, or discussing certain points with him if he had. They were only one third of the way through the books when a loud buzzer echoed through the prison, and the cell door swung open with a loud click. 

“Time for dinner.” Charles commented, setting the books down and standing up. Erik followed, and they started down the hall. The cafeteria wasn’t very glorious, just a big room with tables. Everything here was grey. The walls, the chairs, the people. Well, except Charles. He was like a candle in a dark room. Once they had food and were sitting down, Charles continued talking about books. 

Erik tried to listen, but it was hard to. He could feel eyes on him from all directions. The only downside to him being found guilty? Being fresh meat in a prison cell. He knew no one here actually posed a threat to him, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying. He sighed, poking at his food, if you could even call it that. 

“Erik? Are you alright?” Charles asked, a warm sense of worry in his voice. Erik looked up at him, concentrating on his face for a second. Everything about Charles screamed that he was nice, and good. It was unnerving. 

Erik knew why he was in prison. He knew why the guy across from his cell was there, and the man glaring at him right now. Every single one of these people showed clear signs that they belonged there. Except his cellmate.  
How the hell did this man- the same one that advocated peace over everything, smiled every 5 seconds, and offered to lend other prisoners books- end up in the most secure prison in Europe?

Erik shook himself out of his thoughts. “I’m fine. Just thinking.” 

“About what?” 

“Nothing in particular.” Erik let his fork fall. There was no way he could eat right now. He felt like everyone in the room was boring into him with their eyes. “I’m going back to the room.” He stood up. 

“Oh.” The disappointment in Charles’ voice was clear, “Alright. I’ll see you later.” 

Erik nodded, turned, and walked off back to his cell. He fell back onto his bed, shoving the books into the wagon and kicking it away. Rubbing his eyes, he took a deep breath. This was all a lot more than he was expecting. 

He laid there for awhile, breathing and thinking. And before he knew it, he’d fallen into a dreamless sleep. 


	2. Two

Erik had been in prison a week. Just a week. And he’d already known exactly what he could and couldn’t do. Everyone here was an open book; well, except for Charles. He wouldn’t tell why he was there, and no one there knew. Or if they did, they didn’t say. He couldn’t believe Charles was capable of doing something so terrible to end up in a place like this. He was the kindest soul Erik had ever come across. 

It was still a mystery. One that didn’t seem it would be solved. And Erik had to understand that. Some things, people just couldn’t tell others. That was normal. Erik had a few secrets himself. Still, his mind didn’t stop coming up with possible reasons his cellmate was there. He never asked Charles if any of them were the real reason. 

“Erik?” Charles asked, his voice breaking through Erik’s thoughts. Erik leaned off his bed, looking up at the man peering over his bed at him. 

“Yes, Charles?”

“You’re very quiet. What are you thinking?” He asked, tilting his head a bit. Erik blinked. He’d never met someone so peculiar. Charles always asked odd questions, questions you didn’t usually get asked. Erik couldn’t remember a single occasion when someone had asked him what he was thinking. 

“I’m not thinking of anything, Charles,” He lied, sitting up. He threw his legs off the bed, “I’m just quiet.” 

“Hm. I think you’re lying.” Came the soft voice of Erik’s new acquaintance. Erik scoffed, standing up. He turned to look at the other man. 

“What a wonderful thing, being able to think. Thank you for sharing with me that you’re able to do it.” He said, doing what he always did and using rudeness to push people away from him. He didn’t even really want Charles to be pushed away, it’s just what he always did. Charles frowned, backing away from the railing on the side of his bed. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I suppose I just try my best to always help the people I care about. I’ll leave you alone.” And with that, he rolled over to face the wall, opening his book and continuing to read. Erik couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Charles really did just want to help; it wasn’t his fault that Erik had learned early on that he couldn’t share how he felt. Instead of touching Charles’ shoulder, apologizing to him, he just walked over to the barred window. 

It gave him a view of the courtyard, where a few prisoners were. They were either playing basketball, playing cards, or just sitting and enjoying the fresh air. Erik hadn’t really gone outside since he’d gotten here. He’d barely left his cell, other than meal times. He’d quickly decided it wasn’t worth it, after getting a feel of the other prisoners. 

There was a man here. Sebastian Shaw. He seemed to run things around here. He seemed to pose the biggest threat. Not that Erik was scared of him- he wasn’t scared of anyone. But because of Charles. Charles seemed so kind and wonderful, like a flower bud in a snowstorm. And Erik couldn’t help but want to keep him safe. That included keeping himself out of trouble so that he was here if anything happened. No matter how much he wanted to take a chair to Shaw’s head. 

“Charles.” 

Charles just hummed in response, clearly set on not making any sound to upset Erik. Erik looked at him.

“Why don’t we go outside? Get some fresh air. It looks like it’s nice weather.” He offered. Charles didn’t even look away from his book. 

“You go ahead. I’ll stay here. I’m sure you’d enjoy some peace.” He muttered, flipping the page. Erik frowned. 

“I want you to come with me. You’re my friend.” He explained, walking over to the bed, “Besides, you know this place better than I do. You can show me around.” 

This time, Charles did look at him. His gorgeous eyes had a certain sense of regret to them, and he seemed to be surprised at Erik’s words. 

“I’m your friend?” He asked. Erik felt a jolt run through his body. Had he really been so shut off and rude that Charles believed he wasn’t considered a friend in Erik’s mind? He’d known he’d been a bit harsh, but he just now realized how intensely. He swallowed down his remorse. 

“Of course you are, Charles. You’re the only person here I can stand.” Erik said, a certain softness to his voice. Charles’ lips twisted into a sad version of a smile, and he put his book down. 

“Alright,” He jumped off his bunk, “Let’s go, then.” 

They made their way outside, Charles already back to his chatty self. He talked about different experiences he’d had in the courtyard, and the places he’d found where he could have peace and quiet in a place full of chaotic psychopaths. 

It was a bit chilly, but not bad enough that either man had a desire to turn around and go inside. The sun was peeking through fluffy gray clouds every couple second, and the wind blew through the leaves in the trees surrounding the prison. Charles walked past a guy sitting on the table, and smiled brightly at him. The guy glared in return, spitting at Charles’ feet. Charles didn’t seem phased. Erik clenched his fists as he refrained from slamming his head into the metal table. 

“This is where I usually sit.” Charles commented, sitting at a table in the far corner of the outside area. Erik sat across from him, looking around. It was the perfect place to sit. You had a beautiful view of the outside wilderness, and the trees blocked the sun all hours of the day. Plus, it was far from anyone else spending their time outside. 

“I can see why you picked it.” Erik told him, looking around at their surroundings. Charles gave a light chuckle. All of the information he’d learned in his short time being here had cleared up so much of his confusion. But when he looked at Charles, all he saw was a mystery. He had to find a way to start knowing more. To figure out the puzzle that was Charles Xavier. 

“Charles, how long have you been here? In prison?” He asked. Charles’ brows furrowed. He clearly wasn’t expecting that question. 

“Four years.” He said, as if it weren’t a big deal. Four years. Four years of this amazing man’s life had been taken by a crime he wouldn’t speak about. Erik nodded. 

“And how much longer is your sentence?” Was his next inquiry. 

Charles swallowed. There was fear, regret, sadness in his eyes. Erik knew that, whatever the answer was, it was something serious. Something that would be important in the clues to piece together Charles’ story. He braced himself for the answer. 

With a shaky voice, Charles answered, 

“Until I die.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i literally suck at updating i'm so sorry lsdfsdkfl life sucks these days. i hope you enjoy this chapter! it's not that exciting, or very long, but i promise there's more to come. stay tuned! comments and kudos are appreciated! xoxo


	3. Three

It had been four days since Charles told Erik his sentence was a life sentence. And it had been four days since Erik had to know that information without knowing the crime responsible. Erik killed a man and got 10 years, what could Charles have done to have the whole rest of his life be spent in prison? The questions gnawed at Erik, and sometimes it was too much to bear. 

Because of his questions and lack of information, he’d begun avoiding Charles. He sat away from him during meals, and effectively forcing Charles to sit alone because no one ever paid attention to Charles. He spent more time in the courtyard, on the opposite of Charles’ favorite area on the chance Charles might be there. He spent as much time away from his cell as he could, only going there when he knew he was about to fall asleep and getting out before the sun had even risen. 

A part of him felt guilty for this. Charles didn’t deserve to be shut off from him, he had been nothing but kind to Erik. But all the secrecy wasn’t sitting well with Erik, and he forced people away when he was confused. Still, he couldn’t help but get a pang of sadness watching Charles eat alone, head bowed as if he was trying to make himself invisible. 

Today, he was sitting in the courtyard, reading one of the books Charles had left on his pillow. This was something that started after Erik cut off communication with Charles. Instead of talking to him about books he should read, Charles just left them on Erik's pillow. Erik always read them. 

It was a chilly day, Winter approaching rapidly, but Erik stayed outside. Charles wasn't in the courtyard, which meant he was in the cell. 

"Erik," Came a voice, one smooth but unnerving. Erik looked up, locking eyes with another prisoner. He'd heard about this man. Shaw, they called him. He was in for countless murders and manipulation of others, forcing them to kill. He was one of the prisoners Erik knew to stay away from, "I haven't had the opportunity to speak to you since you arrived. How has it been?" 

He was asking those questions as if this were a hotel instead of a prison, and Erik was vacationing instead of serving time. 

Erik glared, closing his book, "It's been fine. Is there something you need?" Shaw chuckled, taking a step closer. His goons followed. 

"You're not the friendly type, are you?" Shaw asked, "No matter. I'm not here to make friends. I wonder, what's going on with you and Charles. You seem to be close. He putting out for you?" 

Erik felt his blood boil. It was one thing to come and poke at him, but to bring Charles into it? And say awful things like that? To make accusations that Charles is just something for Erik to get pleasure from? It made him furious. Before he could stop himself, he was off the table. In a split second, his fist made contact with Shaw's jaw, forcing him to stumble back into the arms of the guys with him. Shaw chuckled, massaging his jaw, and looked at Erik. 

"Get him." He hissed to his followers, who let go and stalked towards Erik. Erik just glared at them, clenching his fists. There was a full-on fight in no time. Though there were two of them, and only one of Erik, he still stood his ground. He knew how to handle a group, and these men were no threat. Though that didn’t stop him from taking hits as well as giving them. 

Suddenly, he was pulled back, arms held painfully behind him. He looked over at the men he’d been fighting, seeing two guards pull them away from the fight. He huffed, chest heaving from the exercise. 

“That’s enough!” The guard holding Erik yelled, “All of you back to your fucking cells,  _ now _ . You’re not allowed to leave for three days, you understand?” 

No one said anything. They were taken to their cells. 

As Erik was pushed inside, he could hear Charles’ panicked voice as the cell door locked behind him. 

“Oh my god! Erik, are you alright? I saw the fight from the window. I would have helped, but the guards were already making their way over once I noticed what was going on. Jesus, you’re bleeding! How hurt are you? What happened? How can I help?” 

Erik just sat on his bed, sighing. He had blood on his hands, whether it be his own or the other guys’, it didn’t really matter. At least someone got hurt out there. 

Charles knelt in front of Erik, taking his hands. Charles’ hands were soft, and warm. They weren’t the hands of someone who would inflict pain on others. Not on purpose. Almost instantly, Erik’s resolve broke. He shouldn’t be avoiding Charles, no matter how confused about everything Erik was. He swallowed, his head hanging. 

“Erik? Erik, are you alright?” Charles’ voice was riddled with panic and concern, a slight shake to it. 

“I’m sorry, Charles.” Erik sighed. Charles frowned, moving a little closer. He let go of Erik’s hands, choosing instead to lift his head up so that Erik was looking into Charles’ eyes. He pursed his lips. 

“They got a few good hits in.” He murmured, then he gave a small smile, “Don’t you worry. I’ll clean you up and you’ll be good to go.” Charles reached up, into the mattress of his bed. He pulled out a small first aid kit. Where Charles got that, Erik had no idea. But he sat in silence as Charles began tending to his wounds. 

After a few minutes of silence, Charles spoke, “Shaw’s a bully. He always has been. Him and those men that always follow him used to mess with me all the time. They like to inflict pain on others. It makes them feel better.

“One time they beat me so bad I thought I broke my arm.” He chuckled, as if it was funny. Erik was horrified, “But I hadn’t. It was really bad when I first got here. I was scared to leave my cell. But after awhile, they forgot about me as more potential victims arrived. 

“What I’m trying to say, Erik, is that you shouldn’t antagonize them. It only makes it worse. If you don’t give into them, they’ll leave you alone eventually.” 

Erik nodded. Though he knew Charles’ words might be helpful, he knew that he wasn’t going to leave it alone. They’d hurt Charles, made him terrified. And they would pay for that. Erik promised they would. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big things are yet to come, my guys. keep reading!!


	4. Four

It’s been three months since Erik got put in this place. He hated it. Everyone except Charles was infuriating, and he’d ran out of things to do by the end of the first month. All he did now was sit with Charles, read, and eat his meals. It was hell. He was going crazy, doing the same exact things every damn day. 

“Erik?” Charles’ voice was quiet, thick with sleep. Erik sighed, he’d woken him up, “Erik, it’s the middle of the night. What are you doing?” 

“Pacing. I can’t sleep. Don’t worry, Charles. Just go back to bed.” Erik muttered, continuing to walk from the cell door to the window and back. Charles, of course, didn’t listen. And in a split second, he was down from his bunk bed and in front of Erik.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. Erik paused to look at him. His eyes were squinted and tired, a sleep mark on his cheek and his hair all sticking up. He was adorable. 

“I’m alright, Charles. I’m just not tired.” Erik lied. Charles’ lips screwed up, and he shook his head. He grabbed Erik’s hand, pulling him until they were both sitting on Erik’s bed. 

“Talk to me.” His voice made it clear there was no other option for Erik to choose. 

Erik sighed, but began speaking, “I’m going crazy, Charles. Everything’s the same every damn day. There’s nothing new. It’s awful. I can’t stand it.” 

Charles sighed, running his thumb over Erik’s hand. The gesture itself was soothing, and Erik was once again surprised at how good Charles was at helping others. Charles bit his lip for a second, then spoke, “I know it’s hard. Believe me, I have felt the same way you do many times. But I don’t think there’s anything we can do.

“Nothing changes here, except the maybe the prisoners. Either new ones arrive, or the older ones are released or die.” Charles sighed, “We just have to deal with it and try our best to keep our sanity.” He finished with a small smile. 

Erik scowled. He knew Charles wanted to help, but that was not the answer he wanted. “Are you serious?” He asked, “We’re supposed to just…  _ hope _ it gets better? I know you rely a lot on hope, Charles, but  _ Jesus _ . Nothing’s going to change if we don’t make it change.” 

Charles frowned, pulling away slightly, “What do you propose we do, Erik?” 

“I think we should get out of here, Charles.” Erik told him, quietly, as if there were people listening, “Break out. Start living our lives as we want.” 

Charles’ frown deepened, his eyes taking on a chilling look of fear, “Erik, what the hell are you blabbering about? We can’t break out.” He spoke as if Erik just asked him to do one of the cruelest things possible.

“Yes, we can, Charles. We can get out. We can get our lives back. We shouldn’t have to be at the mercy of men who think they’re better than us.” Erik hissed. 

“They  _ are _ better than us.” Charles shot back, “We’ve committed terrible crimes, and we need to pay for our actions.” 

“Terrible crimes?” Erik scoffed, “I killed a man who was trying to hurt other people. And you? I don’t even know what you did. How do I know I can even trust you?” 

Suddenly, the fear in Charles’ eyes turned to pain. He moved farther away from Erik. His hands fiddled in his lap, and he looked at the floor, “I suppose you don’t know. I’m not breaking out, Erik. And you shouldn’t either.” 

Erik shook his head, standing up from the bed, “I didn’t ask for your opinion, or your help. Here’s an idea, Charles. Quit trying to act like you’re in charge of me.” He turned his back from Charles, staring out the barred window. 

Charles didn’t say anything, but Erik swore he could  _ feel _ the pain radiating off of the other man. There was silence for a second, then the sound of Charles getting off Erik’s bed and climbing back into his own. Then, it was silent for a very long time. Erik was sure neither of them were even breathing. But soon, the heavy breathing Charles did when he was asleep filtered through the room, and Erik finally turned back towards the beds. 

Charles was curled into a ball, facing the wall. Upon closer inspection, there were tear streaks on his face. Once again, Erik had to push down the guilt rising in his chest. He knew he cared about Charles, more than he’d probably cared about anyone. Or maybe he cared about the Charles that was shown to him. Maybe the real Charles was different. Maybe he was terrible and manipulative and cruel. Although he knew it could be possibly, he felt in his heart that this was Charles. The kind, giving, person he’d come to care so deeply about. 

 

Erik didn’t sleep that night. He paced some more, sat on the cold concrete ground, and laid in bed and started at the bottom of Charle’s bed. But he didn’t sleep. He couldn’t. His mind was reeling with all sorts of thoughts, he doubted an elephant tranquilizer could have made him sleep. And when it was morning and the cell was open, he was gone before Charles even began to stir. 

Erik was avoiding him. Again. He sat in the courtyard and made up plans to break out in his head, or watched other prisoners and picked up on little secrets they failed at hiding. But more than anything, he watched his cell window, hoping he would see Charles’ face. Those blue eyes, that wonderful smile. He hoped Charles would come and tell him that he was right, that they would break out. Together. That they could be free together. It never happened. 

By the end of the week, he had half of a decent plan, and he was tired of not having Charles in his life. But he didn’t know what he could say to him. But after awhile, Erik decided that saying anything was better than nothing. So he pushed away his pride, and marched back to their cell. 

The only problem was that Charles wasn’t there. He checked the cafeteria. It was empty. Then, he saw it. Out of a window, down in the courtyard.

A fight had broken out. If you could even call it that. Four or five guys were beating down on one guy, in the middle. Erik watched for a second, curious. But then a sickening knot tied in his stomach as he realized who the guy getting beat was. 

_ Charles _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life has been hectic, and I'm sorry it took me so long to update. But I'm back and writing! So hopefully there will be more chapters released soon, instead of later. Please stay patient! And remember, comment and kudos are appreciated! xoxo


	5. Five

Erik didn’t even think. Not that he ever really did, but especially not now. He ran as fast as he could to the courtyard, and he was sure he broke some kind of record by how quickly he got out there. He pushed his way into the circle, hurting all the men until they couldn’t hurt Charles or just ran away out of fear. And soon, it was just him, visibly seething, and Charles huddled in a ball on the ground. 

Erik panted, turning to Charles and crouching in front of him. He grabbed Charles’ hands, gently pulling them away from his face, “Jesus, Charles. What the fuck were you thinking?”

Charles didn’t say anything, and kept his gaze on the ground. Erik sighed, pulling Charles into his arms and standing up. He leaned Charles against the fence, putting his hand under the smaller man’s chin to try to assess how badly he was hurt. His face was a bloody mess. A split lip, red stained teeth, cuts all over and bruises already showing up. 

Erik clenched his jaw, using all his strength not to go find those guys and tear them apart. Instead, he gently brushed his thumb against Charles’ cheek, brows furrowed in concern. 

“Come on, Charles,” He nearly begged, “Talk to me. I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.” 

Finally, Charles spoke. Quietly, and choked, but Erik could still understand him, “I-I was going to ask them if they- they had anything for you to do. They know this prison better than anyone. And I know you’re getting stir crazy, so I thought maybe if I found something new for you to do you’d feel better.

“But then they laughed, and called me a lovesick fag.” Charles paused, tears in his eyes. Erik tried his best not to do something rash, “And when I called them out for it, they started, well, beating me. And then you came.” 

Charles finished his sentence, let out a sob, and buried his face in Erik’s chest. He clutched Erik’s jumpsuit, his body shaking as he cried, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just wanted to help.” 

Erik rubbed Charles’ back, kissing his head, “Don’t you apologize, Charles. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just trying to make me feel better. You’re so kind, always. And they’re going to have consequences for what they did.” Erik told him. What he  _ didn’t _ say was that he would be responsible for giving those consequences. But he knew Charles would tell him not to. So he stayed quiet. 

Charles looked up at Erik, eyes an even brighter blue because of the tears, and sniffled. His fists were still clutching Erik’s jumpsuit, and their faces were close. Oh, so close. Erik could see flecks of green in his eyes. 

They both seemed to have the same idea, because in a split second Erik was grabbing Charles’ hips and pulling him close, and Charles was moving closer. And then their lips met. 

It was like fire exploded in Erik’s chest, and ice in his brain. Every cell in his body seemed to be moving, pulling towards Charles. His body wasn’t his own, not his to control anymore. Neither was his heart. Everything Erik had, everything he was, it belonged to Charles. 

Charles. That wonderful, amazing man that had come to mean so much to Erik. Everything he did was intoxicating to Erik. He could say or do anything, and Erik would follow him. Erik would follow him anywhere. Erik would do, be anything for him. Anything Charles asked. 

Because it was just him. Just Charles. Erik didn’t need anything else. Just him. 

Erik kissed him, trying to show his thoughts through the kiss, through the way his hands clutched Charles’ sides as if he were a lifeline. He was. 

After a minute, they pulled away, lips parted as they panted. Eyes closed and foreheads resting together. Erik lifted his head, pressing a soft kiss to Charles’ forehead before pulling away to look at him. 

Charles had a light in his eyes, one brighter than Erik had ever seen, and his lips had a sweet little smile on them. It made Erik’s stomach do somersaults. 

“I love you, Erik.” Charles murmured. 

Erik blinked. The last person who’d said they loved him was his mother. And she had died. Suddenly, all those good thoughts, all those feelings, flew away. Faded away until all there was was panic and confusion. 

Erik couldn’t do this Charles. Couldn’t taint his perfection with Erik’s sins. He pulled his hands away from Charles. 

“Let’s get you to the doctor so he can fix you up.” 

The frown on Charles’ face was unmissable. And it broke Erik’s heart. The smile disappeared from his lips, and they turned down in clear sadness and disappointment. And his eyes. God, his eyes. The light dimmed until there was nothing. Nothing but pain. 

And Erik knew, he knew in his very soul, that he had just broken Charles’ heart. 

But it was for the better, right? Charles was better off without him. Everything Erik touched fell to ruin. He couldn’t do that to Charles. Never to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I haven't posted. But I made myself finish a chapter today, even though it's kinda short. But Charles and Erik kissed, so I'm hoping you can forgive me. Again, sorry for my sucky uploading. I'll try harder. Hope you enjoyed! Remember, comments and kudos make me feel more eager to write more ;). xoxo


	6. Six

After the incident at the courtyard fence, Charles insisted on taking himself to the infirmary. He told Erik that it was because he’d gotten himself into this mess, and he wouldn’t drag Erik into more of his trouble. But, both Erik and Charles knew it was because Charles had said ‘I love you’ and Erik hadn’t said it back and Charles didn’t want to face Erik or the unignorable fact that Erik didn’t feel the same. 

And Erik knew it was his fault that Charles was hurt. It was his fault that Charles got beaten to a pulp and it was his fault that he hadn’t been able to get himself to say those words back. Even if he felt that way. So he let Charles go. And he watched him walk back into the prison with more guilt and pain than he’d probably ever felt. 

Erik felt the eyes of every prisoner out there as he stood there alone. He knew they’d seen him single-handedly fight off six men, and they’d seen him kiss Charles, and they’d seen Charles leave. Though he had an inkling that no one in this facility was very smart, it didn’t take much brain to put together what had happened. And Erik could feel their judgement boring into him. 

It burned into his skin and melted his bones until he couldn’t feel anything but shame. Shame that he couldn’t show the one good thing he had that he loved it. And he couldn’t take it anymore. So he stormed off back into the prison. He didn’t run into anyone in his way to wherever he was going. Which was good. He was overdue to snap at someone and he felt a bit of pity for whoever received his backlash. 

He didn’t go to the cafeteria, or back to the room. Both were places Charles could be. And Erik didn’t think Charles wanted to deal with him right now. Hell, Erik didn’t even want to deal with himself. After awhile of wandering, he found himself in a part of the prison he’d never seen before. 

It was dark, and eerie. Every once in awhile, a noise would echo against the walls, and Erik would feel chills roll down his spine as he tried to figure out who or what made the noise. He didn’t know how long he’d been walking down the dark hall, but suddenly he turned and was bathed in sunlight. It was bright, after being in darkness for so long, and he squinted. 

After his eyes adjusted, he looked around. It looked like a boiler room, but there was a large door propped open on the other side of the room. Erik walked over to it, pushed it open more, and looked out. He couldn’t help the gasp that came out of him. 

This lead to the lot where all the cars the guards drove were parked. And it was just a simple gate that separated the cars from the open road, easily dealt with. This was it. Freedom. This was how Erik would get out. He stepped onto the asphalt of the lot, a smile on his face, then stopped. 

Charles. 

If he did this now, if he got in a car and left now, he’d never see Charles again. 

It only took a split second of debating for him to step back into the prison and push the thoughts of escaping out of his mind. Charles meant more to him. No matter how much he messed up, he wouldn’t leave him. Erik didn’t think he could bear it. 

He went back to their room. Charles was sitting on his bed, massaging his bandaged wrist. Erik suspected a sprain. As Erik walked in, they made eye contact and Erik was met with those same pained eyes from the courtyard. Erik swallowed. 

“What did the doctor say?” He asked, sitting on the ground so he could look at Charles while he talked. 

“He says it could’ve been worse. I’ve got two cracked ribs, and a sprained wrist. The cuts and bruises will heal. The ribs and the wrist are the only severe injuries.” Charles explained, looking down at his lap as to not look at Erik. Erik understood, and didn’t push him. 

“I’m glad you’re okay, Charles,” Erik whispered, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop them sooner.” 

Charles shook his head, then looked at Erik. His eyes were full of fear, but determination. Whatever he was going to say must’ve been important, “Do you still want to know why I’m here?” He asked. 

Erik nodded. He didn’t dare speak. This was the most open Charles had been about his sentence. Erik didn’t want to mess it up. 

Charles sighed, then spoke, “I have a sister. Raven. I love her. I’d do anything for her. But she’s troubled. She has the wrong ideas about life and gets herself in non-stop trouble. So, naturally, I try to protect her. I try to put her on the right path.

“But she takes it as I’m controlling her, and she’s become bitter to me. She hates me. And she spends her time with people who aren’t good influences. They push her to do things. Terrible things. She hurts people, and takes things. It’s not her. I know her. But she thinks this is what she needs to do to be herself. To get away from me.” Charles paused, took a deep breath, then continued.

“I got a tip from someone that she was going to rob a high-class bank. I went to confront her, to stop her. She had already done it, and by the time I got there, she was gone. And the cops arrived and took me into custody. While I was held in jail, Raven took my fingerprints and planted them on every crime scene she’d been linked to. When the police went to check my involvement in the crimes, my prints were at every scene.

“I was the only person they could pin to these crimes, so I was said to be the sole person who committed all the crimes. I was put on trial, and judged to be guilty. I got a life sentence. And here I am.” Charles finished. His head was hung low, a certain thickness in his voice that hinted he was crying. Or close to it. 

Erik sat in stunned silence for a second. Out of all the things he’d thought Charles did, none of those came even close to the truth. He didn’t say anything at first. Just stood from the ground, climbed onto Charles’ bed, and pulled him into his arms. Erik held him for a minute, trying to find what to say that wouldn’t be taken a wrong way.

“Charles, I am so sorry that happened to you. That was wrong, and you don’t deserve it. You don’t deserve to be in here, and I’m going to get you out.” Erik murmured, pressing his nose to Charles’ hair. 

“No, no.” Charles immediately said, “I plead guilty. I got myself in here.” 

Erik pulled away a bit. That shocked him even more than before. Why would Charles ruin his own life by saying he did it?

“Why would you do that, Charles?” Erik questioned. Charles turned to look at him, frowning slightly. 

“Because. I couldn’t help Raven. I failed her. And that’s the worst crime I could have ever committed. I deserve to rot in here. I deserve it all.” Charles muttered. 

Erik glared at him. Not because he was angry at Charles, but because he was angry that Charles thought that about himself. Charles was the most amazing, kind soul in the world. And he deserved so much better than to be in this shitty prison with the worst people Erik had ever come across. 

“Don’t you dare say that.” Erik growled, “Raven is not your responsibility. As much as you’d like to think she is, she’s her own person that makes her own decisions. No one can change that. Not even you. She makes choices, and those consequences are hers. It’s not your fault that she’s done what she has, and you don’t deserve to suffer for her.” 

Charles nodded, and there were tears brimming his bright eyes. He sniffled and scrubbed at his face. 

“Thank you, Erik.” He whispered, “That really helped.” 

Erik nodded, “Of course. And I’m serious, Charles. I’m going to get us out of here.” 

And deep down, they both knew Erik wasn’t lying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was kinda long, but it kind of talked about a lot. hope you guys enjoyed, and i'll definitely post soon because i'm on break! remember, kudos and comments are appreciated! xoxo


	7. Seven

The next morning, Erik woke up to the sound of humming. It was a song he knew, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was called. He slowly blinked open his eyes, looking around. He was met with the site of Charles, still nestled cozily in his arms, smiling brightly.

“Good morning, Erik.” 

Erik had no idea how he could be so happy after what had happened yesterday and what they’d talked about, but he didn’t question. He much preferred a smile on that face than tears. 

“Good morning, Charles.” He murmured, “How did you sleep?” 

“I slept quite well. I feel much better. What about you?” Charles questioned. 

“Better than I ever have.” Erik smiled, joy filling his chest as Charles beamed at him. 

“That’s so wonderful. I’m glad.” Charles exclaimed. Erik chuckled. 

“You-” 

Before Erik could speak, an alarm screeched and flashing lights bathed them in red. There was commotion in the hall, and Erik looked over to see three guards yelling and running down the hall. Right after they disappeared, the cell door was shut by another guard and locked. They were trapped in here. 

“Hey! What’s going on?” Erik yelled at the guard, but he just ignored him and ran off in the direction the other guards had gone. Erik frowned, turning his attention back to Charles. 

“What do you think’s going on?” Charles asked, a bit louder than usual to be heard over the alarms. Erik shrugged, looking back out at the hall. 

“I have no idea.” He muttered. 

 

It took an hour of alarms and prisoners yelling and overall confusion before Charles and Erik found out what was going on. A guard walked down their hall, yelling the news as he went. 

“A couple of prisoners tried to escape today, and now the entire facility is on lockdown. For the next couple days, you will stay locked in your cells until we can figure this out and get back to normal.” At this news, some of the prisoners shouted their protests. The guard yelled over them, “Your meals will be brought to you, and the only exception to be able to get out of your cell is if you need to see the doctor. Other than that, you’re staying locked up until this is sorted out.

“And be on good behavior. I can’t take much more and you really don’t want to test me when I’m wound up.” And with that, the guard left, leaving the prisoners locked up in cages. 

“Wonderful. Just fantastic. I was already going crazy and now I’m stuck in this cell for god knows how long.” Erik muttered angrily, clawing a hand through his hair. Charles walked over, standing in front of him and holding Erik’s hand in his. 

“Hey, there. Take a deep breath. Calm down.” Charles said in that soft voice of his that immediately made any anger leave Erik’s body. He sighed, doing as told, turning his gaze to Charles’ face, “It’s only for a minute. And I doubt you’d want to be stuck in such a small room with me, but we can make it work.” 

Erik shook his head, squeezing Charles’ hand, “No. No, it’s not you. I just don’t do well with… being caged.” Erik explained. 

“I understand that. I’ll help you. We can read. Or talk. Or sleep. Or plan our getaway.” He offered helpfully. Erik smiled. Charles, always ready to help. He was an angel. Erik loved it. He leaned down, pressing his lips against Charles’ in a sweet sort of kiss. Charles kissed back, his free hand coming up to tangle in the hair at the nape of Erik’s neck. 

Erik pulled away, just enough to breathe, their foreheads resting against each other. “You’re wonderful, Charles.” He breathed out, “You don’t deserve to be here. You deserve better than this. Better than me.” 

“Maybe. But I’ll settle for you.” Charles teased. Erik chuckled, pulling away to look at him. Charles was smiling. So was Erik. It felt nice. He moved to his bed, sitting down and pulling Charles to sit next to him. 

“Alright. So, about this getaway plan. I already have some parts figured out.” Erik explained. Charles nodded. 

“Which parts?” 

“The way to get out.” Erik told him, “But I have no idea how to execute it or how to do it without getting caught. So Really I have nothing but an exit.” 

Charles laughed, his head tilting back and his hand resting on his stomach. It was the most beautiful thing Erik had ever seen. He smiled. 

“Okay, we probably need to plan some more before we try to do anything.” Charles explained. 

“Probably smart.” Erik chuckled. 

Charles then launched into his ideas, explaining everything in detail in that sophisticated way of his. Erik listened, watching his eyes brighten and his hands move as he spoke. He was so passionate about everything, so full of life. Like the sun that gave light and warmth to everything that crossed its path. He was amazing, and Erik had no idea how he’d gotten so lucky to even be sitting next to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm the worst at updating i'm so sorry i'll be better thank you for not killing me xoxo


	8. Eight

After four days of sitting in their cell, they had a practically perfect escape plan. It was all Charles’ doing, he was a genius, but he insisted that Erik had found the exit so he deserved the credit. Either way, they had a way out. Now all that was left was to wait for the right time. 

They’d finally been allowed to go out of their cells, but there was no one allowed in the courtyard for at least three days. The guards were on edge because of the attempted breakout. Charles and Erik knew they’d need to bide their time. With not being allowed to go in the courtyard, and neither man wanting to sit in the cell anymore, they decided to go to the cafeteria. 

“So, where’s the exit?” Charles asked quietly, taking a bite of whatever the hell was supposed to be food on his tray. Erik sipped his water, scooting a bit closer. 

“At the end of the hall our cell is on, right before you turn to go to the courtyard, there’s another hallway. Go down there, turn right, then left, then go straight, and you’ll find it.” Erik told him. Charles nodded, smiling slightly, and went back to happily eating. 

It was barely thirty seconds later when another prisoner sat across from them. His face looked angry, a cigarette hanging from his lips. Erik instantly tensed up, scooting closer to Charles, making sure he was in the way of him and the stranger on the other side of the table. Before Erik could speak, Charles did. 

“Logan! I haven’t seen you in awhile. How have you been?” He asked cheerily, and Erik felt himself relax. He was friends with this guy, Logan. 

“I heard you guys are planning on breaking out.” He muttered, his voice rough. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, “I want in.” 

“How do you know about that?” Charles asked, pausing in his eating. Logan’s lips cocked into a half smile. 

“We’re cell neighbors. And you’re not exactly quiet.” He explained. Charles looked guilty, his cheeks a bit red. 

“Oh..” He whispered. 

“Why should we let you getaway with us?” Erik asked, looking him up and down. He wrapped an arm around Charles’ waist, for his comfort or Charles’, he didn’t really know. 

“Because I know how to cause a distraction.” Logan muttered, “The guards will be so caught up in trying to stop the commotion that they won’t notice the three of us slip out.” 

“We-”   
“You’re in.” Charles cut him off, “We’ll let you out with us.” 

Erik turned to look at Charles, trying his best not to yell in the middle of the cafeteria. “Charles.” He began carefully, “Can I speak to you for a second? Alone.” 

Charles looked over, pausing for a second before muttering a quick “sure” and standing up. Erik followed him out to the hallway. 

“What are you thinking?” Erik hissed, “We can’t just let him in. I know nothing about him. He could ruin everything.” 

“ _ I  _ know him, Erik. He won’t ruin it.” Charles explained, “He’s my friend. I promise you, letting him join us will not stop us from getting out.” 

Erik sighed, clenching his fists for a moment, “Fine. I trust you. But when it comes down to it, I will pick you over him without a second thought.”

Charles smiled, a sweet smile that Erik was starting to see only he ever got, “I know. And I love that.” 

Erik rolled his eyes, but leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Charles’ lips. It only lasted a second, but still sent a spark down Erik’s spine. Soon, they pulled away and went back to the cafeteria. 

 

Three days later, everything about their plan was perfect, right down to the finest detail. They were ready to execute it any second, just waiting on Logan’s distraction. And before any of them knew it, it happened. 

A fire erupted in the courtyard. One of the picnic tables, completely consumed in flames. Neither Charles or Erik knew how Logan did it, he was in his cell when it happened, but they didn’t ask questions. As guards and prisoners ran to see what happened, the three men raced out of their cells and down the hall. None of them saw the guard run after them. 

Erik ran to the door, letting Charles go out before running after him. They ran out into the parking lot, getting into the car they knew always had the keys in the visor. As Erik was sliding into the driver’s seat, he looked up and felt his heart stop. Logan was running towards the car, the guard right on his tail. 

Erik could barely breathe as he saw a bullet pierce through Logan’s chest. He fell to the ground in less than a second. 

“Logan!” Charles exclaimed. He went to open his door, but Erik grabbed his arm as he started the car. 

“Leave him.” His voice was calm. How did he sound so calm? He just saw a man get shot. 

“We can’t! We said we’d get him out!” Charles yelled, tears brimming his blue eyes. Erik knew he wasn’t thinking straight. Logan was his friend, he didn’t want to accept what had clearly happened. 

“He’s gone, Charles.” Erik said, before speeding out of the lot. The guard shot at their car, but soon he was out of the site. After awhile, the prison was too.

Once they were on the open road, they sat in silence. Charles was crying. Erik could tell by the shaking of his shoulders and the occasional sniffle. Erik wanted to help him. To pull him into his arms and not let go until he felt better. But he couldn’t. He had to put as much distance between Charles and that prison as he could. 

 

50 miles later, Erik drove the car into the woods and parked it. They had to get rid of the car. It could be traced back to them. 

“We’ll go on foot for the next while. We’re almost there.” Erik explained, watching Charles wipe his face again. He sniffed, nodding. 

“Alright. Lead the way.” Charles told him. He wouldn’t meet Erik’s eyes. 

“Charles...” Erik began, “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Charles shook his head, “No, I-” He sighed, “Can we just go, please? It’s getting dark.” 

Erik frowned, but he didn’t push him. Just began walking in the direction he knew would lead to safety. Charles followed behind him, his feet shuffling against the forest floor. 

 

It took an hour of walking to get there, but Erik finally let himself breathe when he saw the house between the trees. It was a cabin he and his parents used to go to when he was little, before they’d died. He hadn’t gone since, it had been too painful, but now he looked at it with a gratefulness that went past words. 

He walked up the familiar steps, found the key right where his Dad left it years ago, and unlocked the door. 

Charles stood next to him, and they both looked in. Everything was still, silent. Peaceful. 

Charles walked in, and Erik followed a second later. He watched the shorter man sit on the couch. He’d stopped crying awhile ago, but his eyes were still rimmed red and his nose runny. 

“Charles, I’m so sorry.” Erik murmured. He closed the door and went to sit next to him. Charles sighed, intertwining his hands in his lap. 

“We told him we’d get him out.” He whispered, “We told him.” 

Erik pulled Charles into his lap, kissing his head, “I know. But he knew how risky it was. And he is out now, Charles. He’s someplace better. Better than prison, better than Earth. He’s free.” 

Charles nodded, sighing, “I guess so..” 

“We’re free too, Charles. We can be anything we want now. We can be more.” Erik told him. Charles looked at him, his hand coming up to touch Erik’s face. 

“I love you, Erik.” 

Erik didn’t even flinch, “I love you too, Charles.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it, and I'll try to update soon! Kudos and comments are appreciated!


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